Avian Influenza Prevention and Control Strategies, Including the Use of Vaccination Dr Bernard Vallat Director General OIE 4 th International Conference on Avian Influenza Bamako, Mali, 6-8 December 2006

2 H5N1 Asian Strain Avian influenza: H5N1 Asian Strain End of 2003: Start of epizootic of this new subtype in South East Asia End of 2003: Start of epizootic of this new subtype in South East Asia End of 2005: Spread to Central Asia, Siberia, Balkans, Middle East and Eastern Europe End of 2005: Spread to Central Asia, Siberia, Balkans, Middle East and Eastern Europe Beginning of 2006: Spread to Western Europe and Africa Beginning of 2006: Spread to Western Europe and Africa Reaction of the international community has not been timely enough!

3 Strategy from Beginning: To Minimize Threat at Animal Source Early warning and early detection Early warning and early detection Rapid and transparent notification Rapid and transparent notification Rapid confirmation of suspects Rapid confirmation of suspects Rapid response Rapid response containment, management of poultry movements and humane stamping out use of vaccination when available and if appropriate Improvement of governance and legislation in compliance with OIE international standards Improvement of governance and legislation in compliance with OIE international standards

4 Main constraints to HPAI control Weakness of national veterinary services Weakness of national veterinary services Often no appropriate legislation in place Often no appropriate legislation in place Disincentives for reporting disease Disincentives for reporting disease Limited ability to control poultry movements and to increase biosecurity Limited ability to control poultry movements and to increase biosecurity Difficulty of implementing stamping out and vaccination Difficulty of implementing stamping out and vaccination Insufficient laboratory diagnostic capacity and capability Insufficient laboratory diagnostic capacity and capability

5 Important Lessons learned Control programs involving all stakeholders have had most success in controlling the virus Control programs involving all stakeholders have had most success in controlling the virus Vaccination can limit spread but used alone it will never eliminate avian influenza viruses Vaccination can limit spread but used alone it will never eliminate avian influenza viruses Compensation is crucial to encourage transparency Compensation is crucial to encourage transparency Good Governance including legislation and efficient VS are essential Good Governance including legislation and efficient VS are essential Support through evaluations and gap analysis, using PVS instrument, is crucial to design priority actions and investments Support through evaluations and gap analysis, using PVS instrument, is crucial to design priority actions and investments

6 Important lessons learned Early detection and rapid adequate response has prevented spread and persistence of disease in some countries Early detection and rapid adequate response has prevented spread and persistence of disease in some countries Delayed detection and response, and too much decentralization has led to persistence of the virus in other countries Delayed detection and response, and too much decentralization has led to persistence of the virus in other countries Some developing and in transition countries are at the limit of their abilities to eradicate the disease Some developing and in transition countries are at the limit of their abilities to eradicate the disease Improvement of governance, including strong national chain of command is essential!!

7 Improvements for safe trade Update Terrestrial Code Chapter on avian influenza in 2004 to protect importing countries Update Terrestrial Code Chapter on avian influenza in 2004 to protect importing countries Development of specific recommendations for most important commodities being traded Development of specific recommendations for most important commodities being traded Update of the surveillance guidelines and Introduction of compartmentalisation concept Update of the surveillance guidelines and Introduction of compartmentalisation concept Development of OIE/FAO guidelines on Vaccination Development of OIE/FAO guidelines on Vaccination

8 Development of Guidelines on the implementation of AI Vaccination To guide countries in their decisions whether to implement vaccination programs or not To guide countries in their decisions whether to implement vaccination programs or not To establish detailed guidelines and a decision tree for the application, monitoring, precautionary measures of vaccination strategies To establish detailed guidelines and a decision tree for the application, monitoring, precautionary measures of vaccination strategies Guidelines distributed during the Vienna Conference Guidelines distributed during the Vienna Conference World Conference on AI Vaccination in March 2007 World Conference on AI Vaccination in March 2007

9 Vaccination Guidelines: Country situation Epidemiological situation Epidemiological situation Poultry production systems Poultry production systems Logistical factors (vet services, cold chain) Logistical factors (vet services, cold chain) Diagnostic capacity Diagnostic capacity Compensation mechanism Compensation mechanism Objective of the campaign (emergency, preventive, routine) Objective of the campaign (emergency, preventive, routine) Strategy (mass, targeted, ring) Strategy (mass, targeted, ring) Monitoring Monitoring Financial Resources Financial Resources

10 Agreement for virtual vaccine bank for Africa between OIE, AU/IBAR and Donors AU/IBAR/PACE assess needs of countries and order the vaccines through OIE AU/IBAR/PACE assess needs of countries and order the vaccines through OIE OIE manages a vaccine bank and selects the companies complying with OIE standards on quality of vaccines through an international call for tenders OIE manages a vaccine bank and selects the companies complying with OIE standards on quality of vaccines through an international call for tenders FAO acts as partner in this program FAO acts as partner in this program This concept could be extended worldwide This concept could be extended worldwide

11 Specific needs for Africa ALive Partnership to be reinforced in conjunction with AU/IBAR ALive Partnership to be reinforced in conjunction with AU/IBAR ALive proposals to be discussed during this conference ALive proposals to be discussed during this conference Short and medium term needs Short and medium term needs Compliance with OIE animal health standards on veterinary services and capacity building, including laboratories Compliance with OIE animal health standards on veterinary services and capacity building, including laboratories

12 Next Steps National and international political commitment is essential National and international political commitment is essential Harmonisation of governance and policies Harmonisation of governance and policies Coordination of donors, national and international partnerships must be reinforced Coordination of donors, national and international partnerships must be reinforced Laboratories need to be supported: twinning concept Laboratories need to be supported: twinning concept Importance of communication strategy in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF Importance of communication strategy in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF

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